Love shows no bounds
by queensdouble
Summary: A fluffy romance between Kartik and Gemma. Rating and title may change!


_Gemma……… Gemma………_

I look around wildly. Someone was calling my name. Was it her? My eyes take in the vision of the Realms; Runes of Oracle towering above my head like a mouse would look upon a human.

_Come to me Gemma………_

It was her, Circe. She was calling me, beckoning me to take me to the other side. I do what I do best.

I pick up my skirts, and run for the hill.

My footsteps in the grass change color and slowly spread so that the whole field is eventually a putrid shade of grey. I keep running until I reach the top of the hill.

"Gemma, where have you been?" mother says as she emerges from behind a tree. It was only her.

"Mother!" I exclaim as she approaches with a radiant smile on her face. "I've missed you so much,"

"It's alright, pumpkin. We're together again," she says as she takes me in her arms.

Pumpkin? What?

"And no one will separate us again,"

Something wasn't right.

She begins to stroke my hair, "I love you," her eyes begin to flash and she melts into the hideous beast I know to be Circe, "………My pretty………"

I scream, and wake with a start, safe and sound at Spence Academy,

I'm breathing hard, nightgown drenched in perspiration. What happened? Why did I scream? I had a dream. No, more like a nightmare. But what was going on? Something about mother, and the Realms, but the Realms are closed now. How could I be there?

I hear the grandfather clock in the great hall faintly chime 2'oclock. Ann is sleeping on the other side of the room. She'd never notice………

I slip out of my nightgown and hastily get dressed, pulling on my blue, velvet cape as I go. I push the wardrobe aside and open the floorboard beneath it. I pull out the spare pair of keys and make my exit.

It's a frigid night. My breath is visible as I make my way past Vespers and into the wood. The trees tower over my head and swallow me whole. I would have been frightened if I hadn't been through these woods a dozen times. If I just follow the path, I'll be fine, right.

After quite a bit of walking, I finally see the small glow of a campfire and the far-off voices of laughing gypsies. Must be the rum that keeps them awake at this time of night. I approach the camp, not careful about watching my step. I pet the three watchdogs as I pass. Ithal spots me.

"Salut, Gemma! Ce mai facete?" he asks.

"I'm fine, Ithal. Where's Kartik?"

"He's at the lake. He said he was expecting you," it surprises me that he says this so clearly. Gypsies can really hold their liquor.

"Then why would he go out?" I ask.

His eyebrows raise on his forehead and he clicks his tongue. "Well, ever since your little escapade last time you visited us, he's needed a bit more privacy!"

They all laugh and whistle merrily around the campfire. "Good evening, I'll be at the lake," I say. They all break into hysterical laughter again.

I make my way to the lake, where I see Kartik. The lake is frozen solid, with him standing in the middle of it. He's taken the cricket bat and a dozen or so crab apples and begins to play the sport he loves so much.

I watch him in all his grace and majesty pick up a crab apple, throw it above his head, then, it seems like every muscle in his body works in unison as he swings the bat with the strength of a lion and smashes the apple into a pulp. I step onto the lake, almost slip, but catch myself in the nick of time, careful not to make a sound. I slowly make my way to the middle of the lake, about ten feet away from him. He doesn't notice me. I wish he would. He's probably to busy thinking about Pippa, a girl he's never even spoken to, to even remotely notice that I'm in his range.

I clear my throat, and Kartik whips around while pulling out his dagger from within the many folds of his cloak.

"Settle yourself, Kartik. Tis just me," I say

He lowers his dagger, "You shouldn't be here alone,"

"I can take care of myself, thank you,"

"What do you want?"

The nerve of him.

"Well, it just so happens I came out here to say Hello. So, now I have and I'll get out of your hair," I spit back at him.

I turn to leave, but I haven't taken more than two steps before I fall through a thin patch of ice.

**Game over? Continue?**

pouts playfully awww, does somebody need a preview of the next chapter? TeeHee………

"Gemma………I'm sorry," he says with apology written all over his face.

"Hmph………what for?" I ask, stubbornly wrapping my arms around me and sighing from the coldness.

"For being such an imbecile," he says.

Yet another awkward silence.

After a few minutes of just staring at the fire and making my eyes water, I finally say, "Your apology is accepted."

Oi! Finally I'm done with this first chapter. I'll post the next one after three reviews!

Oh, and to take up some space, here's a thought: If people climb mount Everest for the challenge, why do they climb the easier side?


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